When the 2018 Winter Olympics kick off Friday, February 9, in Pyeongchang, one sport that’s sure to turn heads is the Luge competition.
Like Bobsledding and Skeleton, Luge is a sliding sport where athletes race down a frozen track at speeds reaching over 100 mph. While its detractors might say that Luge races are little more than “technology battles,” the measure of athleticism required goes far beyond a mere downhill sledding race.
An exhilarating flight down a windy track, Luge races are conducted in both singles and doubles categories and timed down to the thousandth of a second. The sled that riders use is attached to two blades known as “runners” which are the only part of sled to make contact with the ice.
ADVERTISEMENT
To maneuver their sled, athletes move their calves and shoulders around to shift their weight to accommodate the windy path. This practice, known as “steering,” must work perfectly in tandem with the extreme speed at which the athlete is traveling. This makes doubles Luge extra complicated, as it involves one luger laying atop the other. The team must communicate with each other as they race at record speeds down the track, which typically involves head motions and, presumably, some measure of mind-melding.
Germany is the country to beat in Luge events in nearly every category, including the relay, where the U.S. and Canada are also considered to be top medal contenders.
Germany’s Felix Loch became the youngest Olympic Luge champion in history when he won the gold medal at age 20 at the Vancouver 2010 Winter Games, so tune in to see if he can replicate this stunning feat eight years later.
Here’s the schedule of Luge events and how you can tune in.
For the entire Olympic Winter Games schedule, click here.
Full Schedule
Saturday, Feb. 10
Men’s singles luge runs 1-2 — 5:10 a.m. ET
Sunday, Feb. 11
Men’s singles luge runs 3-4 — 4:50 a.m. ET
Monday, Feb. 12
Women’s singles luge runs 1-2 — 5:50 a.m. ET
Tuesday, Feb. 13
Women’s singles luge runs 3-4 — 5:30 a.m. ET
Wednesday, Feb. 14
Doubles luge — 6:20 a.m. ET
Thursday, Feb. 15
Luge team relay — 7:30 a.m. ET
How to Watch on TV
The Olympic Games will all be broadcast on NBC, NBCSN and across NBC Universal networks. For full detailed TV listings, check out NBCOlympics.com.
Here’s a full schedule of Olympic events.
How to Live Stream
All events will be live-streamed on NBCOlympics.com.
